hypertension

hy·per·ten·sion

noun \ˌhī-pər-ˈten(t)-shən\

Definition of HYPERTENSION

1

: abnormally high blood pressure and especially arterial blood pressure

2

: the systemic condition accompanying high blood pressure

Examples of HYPERTENSION

1. He's being treated for hypertension.

Origin of HYPERTENSION

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use: 1893

Other Medicine Terms

analgesia, angina, diabetes, hepatitis, homeopathy, logorrhea, palliate, pandemic

Rhymes with HYPERTENSION

fourth dimension, surface tension, third dimension

hy·per·ten·sion

noun \ˈhī-pər-ˌten-chən\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of HYPERTENSION

1

: abnormally high arterial blood pressure that is usually indicated by an adult systolic blood pressure of 140 mm Hg or greater or a diastolic blood pressure of 90 mm Hg or greater, is chiefly of unknown cause but may be attributable to a preexisting condition (as a renal or endocrine disorder), that typically results in a thickening and inelasticity of arterial walls and hypertrophy of the left heart ventricle, and that is a risk factor for various pathological conditions or events (as heart attack, heart failure, stroke, end-stage renal disease, or retinal hemorrhage)—see essential hypertension, secondary hypertension, white coat hypertension

2

: a systemic condition resulting from hypertension that is either symptomless or is accompanied especially by dizziness, palpitations, fainting, or headache

hypertension

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Condition in which blood pressure is abnormally high. Over time, it damages the kidneys, brain, eyes, and heart. Hypertension accelerates atherosclerosis, increasing the risk of heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure. More common in the elderly and blacks, it usually has no symptoms but can be detected by a routine blood-pressure test. Secondary hypertension, caused by another disorder (most often kidney disease or hormone imbalance), accounts for 10% of cases. The other 90% have no specific cause (essential hypertension). A low-salt diet, weight loss, smoking cessation, limited alcohol intake, and exercise can prevent or treat hypertension or reduce medication if drug therapy proves necessary. Malignant hypertension, a severe, rapidly progressing form, requires emergency treatment with drugs to dilate the blood vessels.

Variants of HYPERTENSION

hypertension or high blood pressure